One of the current problems with all commercially available automatic brake bleed systems is the handling and entanglement of the hoses. Most machines require six hoses—one for emptying the master cylinder, one for filling and pressurizing the master cylinder (these are separate to minimize intermixing of old and new fluids), and one each for removal of the fluid from each of the four individual brake bleeder locations on the vehicle and returning the waste fluid to the unit. Storage and handling of this many hoses is an issue, and in addition to spillage from residual fluid left in the hoses, they frequently become entangled, resulting in operator frustration and lost time to untangle them before the next use.
One aim of the present invention is to provide an improved automotive service equipment for brake fluid exchange which avoids or reduces such problems with conventional automatic brake bleed systems. Instead of returning the waste fluid from each of the brake bleeders via a hose to the main unit as in the known commercially available automatic brake bleed systems, according to the invention the waste fluid from the brake bleeders is stored in at least one, and preferably in a plurality of remote bleed modules at respective ones of the brake bleeders for later removal. These volumes of waste fluid are relatively small, less than 12 ounces. Waste fluid is removed when the modules are docked with a central unit of the automotive service equipment at the end of the service. The modules are controlled remotely by the central unit through radio frequency or similar wireless technology.
More particularly, an automotive service equipment for brake fluid exchange according to the invention comprises a central unit including a controller for operating the equipment for exchanging used brake fluid in a vehicle with new brake fluid. The central unit has means for wirelessly transmitting signals to control brake bleeding during brake fluid exchange. At least one remote bleed module is provided. The module includes a fluid passage for connection to a brake bleeder of a vehicle for conveying brake fluid from the brake bleeder during brake fluid exchange. The module further includes a valve for opening and closing the fluid passage, a container for receiving and storing for later removal brake fluid conveyed through the fluid passage when the passage is opened by the valve, and means responsive to the wirelessly transmitted signals from the central unit for opening and closing the valve.
The container in the remote bleed module in the disclosed example embodiment of the invention is a sealed container capable of holding a vacuum charge and brake fluid. A plurality of remote bleed modules for connection to respective ones of a plurality of brake bleeders of a vehicle to be serviced are provided in the example embodiment. The controller of the central unit operates the remote bleed modules for bleeding brake fluid from the plurality of brake bleeders sequentially during servicing a vehicle.
The central unit further includes at least one docking station upon which at least one remote bleed module can be moved to and docked when not connected to a brake bleeder. A drain in the container is actuable when the module is docked at the docking station. A vacuum pump of the central unit removes brake fluid from and provides an initial vacuum charge to the container of the module docked on the central unit. The central unit includes a container for receiving brake fluid removed from the module docked on a docking station of the central unit.
The remote bleed modules each include a power source for operating the means responsive to the wirelessly transmitted signals from the central unit. In the example embodiment, the power source is rechargeable and the central unit includes means for recharging the power source when the module is docked at a docking station of the central unit. The fluid passage of the remote bleed module in the disclosed embodiment includes a hose and an adapter to connect to a brake bleeder of an automotive vehicle. The remote bleed module further includes means responsive to the wirelessly transmitted signals from the central unit for alerting an operator to close a brake bleeder connected to the fluid passage of the module.
The central unit of the automotive service equipment includes a container for new brake fluid in addition to the aforementioned container for receiving used brake fluid, hoses and adapters for emptying and filling master cylinders, a pressure pump and at least one controlling sensor and a vacuum pump for respectively supplying and pressurizing new brake fluid from the new brake fluid container to master cylinders, and emptying used brake fluid from master cylinders to the used brake fluid container.
An improved method for exchanging brake fluid in an automobile in accordance with the invention, using an automotive service equipment of the invention having a central unit with a controller for operating equipment and at least one automatic mode of operation, comprises emptying used brake fluid from the master cylinder of the vehicle, filling the master cylinder with new brake fluid, pressurizing the master cylinder, bleeding brake fluid from brake bleeders of the vehicle and replenishing the new fluid in the master cylinder as necessary, wherein the brake fluid bled from the brake bleeders is stored, for later removal from, in containers of remote bleed modules connected to respective ones of the brake bleeders.
The method and automotive service equipment of the invention advantageously avoid the use of hoses for returning the brake fluid to the central unit thus reducing the problem of storage and handling of such hoses and spillage of residual fluid left in the hoses. These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.